


Destined

by barnaby317



Series: Destiny [1]
Category: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Genre: F/F, Vampire AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-20
Updated: 2016-07-20
Packaged: 2018-07-25 14:25:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7536331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barnaby317/pseuds/barnaby317
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Originally posted to Livejournal</p><p>Andy learns some home truths.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Destined

**Author's Note:**

> I'm beginning to move my DWP fics from Live Journal to here.
> 
> I have since edited this slightly but if any of you lurkers saw it on livejournal you will see it's the same story just with a few spelling/grammar issues fixed.

My daughters are fans of the cinema. They like attending premiers of movies and then having the soundtracks when they’re available. Caroline has the soundtrack from the movie ‘Eragon’. There is one particular song on this soundtrack that always strikes me. 'Once In Every Lifetime'.

I have seen the movie, Cassidy asked me one evening to sit with them while they watched it. It is an enchanting movie and I did not fail to notice the symbolism. Destiny.

That one word strikes fear in someone like me, for it is my destiny to live as I am. To be something that I no longer recognise as being me.

244 years ago I was born. 44 years later I was reborn.

I was born Mezianic Preznio of Romania in 1765. I was reborn as Mary Sînge (roughly translated, well actually exactly translated, means Mary Bloody) but do not mistake me for Bloody Mary, we were two very different people, I did admire the woman's work though, but I digress.

For 15 years I was a gypsy maiden but that would change. I married my very first husband at the then tender age. He was a no good farmer's boy, but I needed to be wed. No-one else would accept an unmarried gypsy girl past the age of 16 and my birthday was fast approaching. By the age of 20 I'd already had four children. My life between the age of 20 and 44 is not worth re-telling.

In 1809 about 10 days after my 44th birthday I was turned. I had no idea by what until I met that, what did that stupid imbecile call himself, ah yes a Watcher. Shortly after was when I changed my name.

I am what's termed a Vampyr, Vampire if you prefer the simplistic label.

There are so many misconceptions about vampires, such as we are 'allergic' to sunlight. That simply isn't true, if it was I wouldn't be able to control my empire. It is you know, _Runway_ , it is my empire, I built it up to what it is today. Once again I digress.

I had accepted that for 195 years I was a beast, something to be feared. I worked as anything possible, sometimes I just stole my wealth, until 25 years ago. I got my opportunity to live as a wealthy woman and actually get paid for it and I was happy with that.

In 200 years I have had many loves, though I had never truly loved them. 5 years ago that all changed, thanks to her.

Andrea.

I had changed my name in the late 1900's, around the 1970's, to something a little less known, Mary Sînge was a well-known woman. Miranda Priestly was the name I chose, I don't know how I come up with these names, but I came to New York with a new name and a new lease on my un-dead life. I was bored with the hunting, the feeding and the tormenting. That much about vampires was true, they liked to torment their victims, well most of the time. I applied for the job of an assistant editor at the magazine, after all I knew a lot about fashion changes and trends, I was thrilled to learn that I'd gotten the job.

I still fed, I occasionally hunted, and rarely tormented but that was all to survive. A vampire needs to survive, especially the elders. With so many younglings running around, thinking they own the streets, living up to the misconceptions of living in darkness and all the rest; someone has to teach the ways of the old to the new generation.

In 2004 I no longer cared if I survived. I had given up. My twin girls, who aren't of course mine, again it's true vampires can't reproduce, weren't enough to keep me going. 1 year later she walked into my office. I looked at her, in that tan skirt and horrible white sweater, and in that moment I had found my reason to keep 'living'.

I know that I was downright horrible to her but after spending almost 200 years feeling alone, it was hard to accept that I may have a chance to let this young girl in and find someone to spend my days with for the rest of her life.

I refuse to let my selfish desires get the best of me, I would not turn her just to have her stay by my side because if given an eternity, what would happen if she chose someone else? In a way I guess that is still selfish.

It would kill me, if I weren't already dead.

But then again I am already 'dying'. Someone I thought I could depend upon, someone I trusted, had left me. She left after just under a year in my employ, she obviously could not stand to be in the company of a 'grumpy old bitch'. If only she knew how old.

Andrea.

She has, and possibly will for the foreseeable future, occupied my thoughts and my senses. It was very hard for me in the beginning, perhaps that was why I treated her as I did. It was hard to resist the sound of her blood pumping through her veins, her sweet yet musky scent. It was even hard to resist her babbling.

I have never before felt myself losing control around a mortal until she came into my life.

For the first time, in my un-dead existence, I was losing control and when she walked out of my life, that fateful day in Paris, I let her go. I now regret that.

Another of the myths, by the way, is that vampires don't love or cannot love. This I must confess is not the case for I am deeply in love with Andrea Sachs and I am a 244 year old vampire.

It started early during Andrea's tenure at Runway. I noticed the girl that did not want to be noticed. It was why I picked on that hideous cerulean sweater that she insisted on wearing. I then had no choice but to notice her when that makeover happened. She was the most beautiful creature, and I had seen my fair share, that I had ever seen.

I am yabbering. Miranda Priestly does not yabber.

The point is, I am a Vampire and I have been for 200 years. There is one other point which is that I am in love with Andrea Sachs.

_ _

v-v

 

Andy was worried.

She couldn't tell you why or what for or anything like that but she was worried.

Lily was supposed to pick her up from the Mirror over an hour ago, they were going to dinner at some swanky new restaurant that Lily had heard of. When she'd tried to call Lily's cell phone she got nothing, when she tried calling the gallery she was told that Lily had already left for the night and when she called Lily's home phone, she got zilch.

It was so unlike Lily. When she swore to you she'd be there to pick you up at 5:30 pm she was there at 5:15 pm at least. She was never late or waylaid.

When Lily hadn't been waiting for her in the lobby of the Mirror she'd waited for her to show, just in case she was running a bit late. When Lily still hadn't shown at 5:45 pm she'd grown a bit agitated and had begun calling every phone number that she was sure Lily owned. At 6:15 when there had been no sign of Lily showing up, or of her answering her phones, Andy had begun walking toward the subway.

Turning a corner Andy tried sending Lily a text. Knowing how futile it was since Lily wasn't answering her phone.

Being busy with sending the text message she hadn't realized that she'd turned into an alley until it was too late. Hearing muffled cries coming from the end of the alley, Andy crept forward hoping to see what was going on. There was a dark shadow standing with their back to her with a young woman in their arms, that much she could see.

Creeping even further towards the two figures she heard the muffled cries getting slightly louder. At first she had thought they were making out, it was easy to think so while they were in a position that looked intimate, but as she got closer she could see the dark figure squeezing the woman to him, she could now tell the dark figure was male. It was almost as if he were draining the life out of her.

The cries from the woman had now stopped and now she was laying lifelessly in his arms. The man dropped the body and turned towards Andy. "Fata prostuta, nu ar trebui sa fi afara de una singura (stupid girl, you should not be out here by yourself.)" He spoke fluently in a language she couldn't understand.

"I... ah... um" Andy stammered, too shocked by the blood dripping from his chin to do anything.

"I vill kill you" he said in heavily accented English.

"Um..." Andy stuttered, trying to walk backwards.

Sure she'd heard the urban legends of Vampires, never for one minute believing them, knowing that just as ghosts weren't real, neither were vampires. Obviously they were true.

The Vampire in front of her came closer and again said "I vill kill you."

"Retrage-te, Benezito (Back up, Benezito)" A female voice demanded in what Andy guessed was the same language the man had used. "I said back up Benezito, leave!" She growled in English as she jumped down in front of Andy.

"Mezianic, imi pare bine sa te revad (Mezianic, it is good to see you again)"

"Nu pot sa iti intorc curtoazia (I cannot return the expression)" She spoke to the man then turned her head slightly to the side and spoke to Andy "Leave, now!"

Andy couldn't see the female's face but from the back and the hair she could have sworn that Miranda Priestly was standing in front of her. She could have sworn that was the voice that had said 'that's all' to her a little over four years ago, the same voice that whispered the drawn out version of her name in her dreams while Andy drove her to the brink of ecstasy.

The same voice that was urging her to run for her life. "Miranda?" she whispered without knowing that her mouth had formed any words.

"Leave Andrea, NOW!"

And without a second thought or doubt in her mind Andy knew that it was Miranda standing in front of her. "How?"

"I will explain if we are both alive at the end of this."

"Miranda, he's..."

Miranda interrupted her "I know what he is, Andrea, leave" she growled when the girl still wouldn't move. "De ce esti aici? (why are you here?)" Andy heard as she was running out of the alley.

_ _

v-v

"Can I not come to see my vife?" He replied in English.

"I am not your wife, I haven't been since 1809." Miranda replied, almost snarling at the man.

"You turned me Mezianic, vhat vill you do vhen I turn her?" Benezito changed the subject and asked as if he knew something she didn't.

"What are you talking about?"

"You are in love vith her. Do not deny the truth Mezianic."

"I am not. She was my assistant." Miranda denied everything and she would continue to deny everything until she took her last breath, which was pretty much never going to happen.

"I know that the vay you showed up here tonight could only mean you haf been vatching her or that you haf your senses attuned to her. I know you Mezianic, I hunted vith you in the beginning, I vatched you fall in love vith humans and Vampires alike. This is like you I tink." He spoke in his fragmented English.

"Nu e adevarat (it is not true)" Miranda spoke again in their native tongue.

"Este foarte adevarat, Mezianic, I know you better than you know yourself (it is very true, Mezianic)" he said half in Romanian and English.

"You know nothing about me any longer Benezito. Leave this place and do not return."

"I cannot do as you ask. She is very enticing Mezianic. I see now vhy you are in love vith her."

"I am not. I will make you leave Benezito, you know I will, I am giving you the option of walking away with your un-dead life." Miranda threatened as she moved closer to the male vampire.

"Then you vill haf to kill me. Again."

Miranda didn't even consider it twice and before you could attempt to say “go for it Miranda” she’d attacked. With lightning speed Miranda had Benezito pinned against the wall behind him. “I gave you fair warning Benezito.”

“That you did Mezianic, but I cannot leave.” He laughed at the expression on her face. Before he could process what had happened Miranda had hit him in the jaw. “Vhat are you going to do? You cannot kill me.”

“I can do anything I like.” She growled as she landed punch after punch to his person.

He’d had enough and started hitting her back knowing that he could not harm her but wanting to at least bruise the pristine skin of the woman that had turned him into a monster. Pushing her away from him he followed and started his own attack landing blow after blow to her body that lay sprawled on the ground. “You are pathetic, Mezianic, vhere is the voman that I haf known to be vicious?”

Standing so suddenly that it actually surprised Benezito Miranda shoved him in the chest and smiled when he landed with a heavy thud. Snarling she stalked to the man. “I am still here Benezito, I am not as you knew me but I am still here. I am going to offer you one last chance to leave and never come back.” Though she knew he wouldn’t leave.

“I vill not go. You vill haf to kill me to make me leave.”

“Done.” She exclaimed as she hit him again. There was nothing like a fight between two preternaturally strong people. She would try and draw this fight out as long as she could.

After a while of trading blows Miranda had finally grown weary and could feel herself weakening. Landing a final blow to his torso she reached behind her where she lay against some old crates and pulled out a pointed piece of wood before Benezito had the chance to register the move. Pulling her arm back beside her she waited until he pulled back and drove the piece of wood through his chest.

“Mezianic?” he said in the few moments before his life would end forever.

“La revedere, Benezito (Goodbye, Benezito)” She whispered as he turned to dust all over her.

_ _

v-v

“Andrea, are you here?” Miranda called from her position at the back of the alley though she knew the girl was still there, she could smell her. She was proven right as the girl stepped into the mouth of the alley.

“Miranda?” Andy asked coming forward cautiously.

“I will not bite Andrea. You can come closer.”

Andy came closer and knelt beside her still a little cautious. “You… you’re like…” she stammered unable to form any kind of coherent sentence.

“Yes Andrea, now you know.” Miranda interrupted the pitiful girl.

“You’re a… um…”

“A vampire? Yes and you know that you can say it without becoming one, don’t you?”

“He kept calling you Mezianic, I think, I couldn’t really hear much.”

“Yes. Help me up and call Roy, I will explain as soon as we are alone.”

“My apartment is closer then your house. Would you be able to handle that?” Andy asked with a slight teasing to her voice.

“Yes I suppose. Call Roy, tell him where we are and that he is not to get out of the car when he arrives.”

“He doesn’t know?”

“Of course he does, just do it Andrea, he will know why I said it.” Miranda snapped at her.

_ _

v-v

Just over half an hour later Andy opened the door to her apartment and watched as Miranda moved sluggishly through it. She could tell the older woman was hurt but was trying not to show it. “Would you like anything to drink?”

“No Andrea. I require nothing of the sort.” She snapped again.

“Look” Andy said getting rather defensive. “Despite my shock I am trying to be nice. Do you think you could at least attempt to be nice back?”

“I apologise Andrea. I am a little tense still.” She sighed, she really didn’t want to have this conversation but she knew they had to. “I am Mezianic Preznio, I was born in 1765 in Romania. At the age of 15, which was common in that time, I married a no good farmers son. Benezito Alurius” She looked away from the girl who had sat herself next to her on the couch. “He is… was the man in the alley tonight. In 1809 I was turned into a vampire and have lived like this since.”

Andy really didn’t want to believe it and when Miranda continued she listened carefully. “I turned him about a year after I myself was turned. We continued to live as a married couple for the sake of our four children, though they were grown by then. When Benezito reached the age of 76, though he didn’t look a day over the age of 55, we staged his death. It was a common age to die and the way he ‘died’ was supposed to be just as common, Smallpox.”

“What happened to you? I mean how did you ‘die’?”

“Benezito died in 1830 at the age of ‘76’ I ‘lived’ for 15 more years after him and 'died' at the age of ‘80’ in 1845, though I too looked no older than 44.” She sighed. “As to how I passed, it was natural causes. I simply positioned myself in my bed and closed my eyes as I heard my son come into the house. He found me moments later, cold and without a pulse though I hadn’t actually had a pulse for 36 years. I regret that he had to find me but he was 64 years old, he should have been able to handle it.”

“Miranda… I don’t…”

“Will you ever spit out a sentence?” Miranda asked mockingly. “May I continue with my explanation now?” She watched as Andy nodded. “Good. I changed my name shortly after being turned and everyone, including Benezito, knew me by Mary Sînge which translated means Mary Bloody. Bloody Mary was an English matriarch long before I became Mary Bloody. My children still only knew me as Mezianic Alurius. I was known by that name because of the way I treated my victims. I will not tell you any more than that.”

“So why Miranda Priestly then? Why change your name again?”

“Because Mary Sînge was well known as a torturer. I had garnered a lot of unwanted attention in my time, Andrea, there were many stories floating around. Tales, legends, myths, ‘Mary Bloody will suck your blood until you are no longer human, she will torture you until you pass out from the pain’.” She paused in remembrance “That was one of my favourites. Before I got the job as an assistant editor at Elias-Clarke in the early 1970’s I changed my name to Miranda Priestly.”

“Okay.” Andy said after a long pause. “I don’t get it. You had windows, huge windows, in your office. You went out in the sunlight. I thought vampires couldn’t go out in the day time.”

“Pure myth.” Miranda dismissed it easily. “Just like the myth about us not being able to love. There are many myths about vampires and too many younglings are making them truths. They live under the cover of darkness, they don’t go out in the sunlight. They ‘play’ with their food or are just plain violent with it. Feeding off of a human does not have to be a violent act, in fact it can be a very intimate experience at times.” Miranda explained. “Do you really think that if I couldn’t go out in the day time that I would be the person I am?”

“No, I guess not.” Andy whispered. “The whole vampire thing explains a few things about you that I had attributed to not liking me. It also explains why you’re so pale.”

“Andrea you must understand that I only behaved like that because I could feel myself losing control over my carefully constructed walls. I knew that if I allowed you to see the real me I would lose all semblance of control.” Miranda looked away from her again. “I cannot lose control around you.”

Andy looked at Miranda. She could see that the older woman was keeping a very tight rein on her control even now. “Why?”

“Because, Andrea, you wormed your way between my defences and cracks were beginning to form. I began to tune my senses to you. I knew when you were always in the building before you even exited the elevator at the _Runway_ office.”

Andy needed to change the subject and fast. “Going backwards, you said you were born in Romania. Is that the language you and your husband were speaking in while you were in the alley?”

“Yes. Romanian is a very romantic language, or so they say. Personally I think French is more romantic.”

“Is this why you speak fluent French?”

“Being a vampire? Yes. I’ve spent a fair amount of my un-dead life travelling to France. I have always adored the country.” She sighed wistfully.

“Okay. Where else have you been?”

“I’ve lived in just about every country, Andrea, but Romania remains the one I’ve lived in for longer. When you are almost 245 years of age you find that you acquire a vast array of knowledge and you live in a lot of different places. Especially when someone finds out about the monsters that hunt humans and a vigilante group begins hunting you instead. That was not one of my most fun moments.”

Andy gasped when Miranda said how old she was. “245?”

“You are not that slow, surely when I said I was born in 1765 you figured I was older than I appear.”

“Oh sure but when you put an actual number there it really floors a person, you know.”

“I know Andrea. Do you not think I am reminded of how old I am every day? I am surrounded by women, girls really, in their early 20’s. When I was their age I’d already had four children, been married for five years and was certainly not the socialite I am now. Things were different in the late 18th century.”

“There’s another thing I just figured out. Your proper speech pattern, it’s not because you’re trying to be proper, is it? It’s because English isn’t your first language, am I right?” Andy asked excited that she’d discovered something.

“Yes Andrea” Miranda rolled her eyes “never mind the fact that I have had over 200 years to perfect any language I so choose.”

“Okay sorry. Back to what you were saying about knowing when I was around. What were you talking about?” Andy asked finally ready to revisit that topic.

“You were always a person of interest to me. Right from the first day I met you, that day you walked into my office and I interviewed you, well if you could call it an interview. It took one sniff of your scent to intoxicate me for the rest of my un-dead life.” Miranda paused. “Vampires can smell a human’s blood and just like DNA a scent is unique to a human. I cannot get your scent out of my head after three years do you really think it would have been easier while you were in my employ?”

“No, but…”

“I can also smell your fear no matter where you are and tonight I could smell it a mile away. You were afraid and so I took action. I came to the alley because I knew you were in danger and I could feel his presence in the city. As soon as your fear registered I knew he was the cause of it. There was only one other vampire in my clan that was more vicious than me.”

“That male vampire, Benezato, or whatever.”

“Benezito. Yes. I had hoped he would not come looking for me anymore.”

“I heard him say that you have attuned your senses to me and you said that you had begun to tune them.”

“When I fall in love with someone, and I mean real love, I tune my senses to them and only them. It is something I do subconsciously. Benezito has seen me do that a lot of times and he couldn’t understand how he wasn’t one of those people.” Miranda sighed and looked at Andy again. "I do not know how he came to that conclusion. I haven't seen him for over 60 years."

"Maybe he sensed it." Andy supplied not so helpfully.

"He couldn't have. Benezito didn't have the senses I do, he never bothered to hone them. He only used them to hunt."

Andy thought for a moment then said "I wonder who that woman was. I didn't think to check when you called me into the alley."

"The police will find her, I'm sure."

"How can you be?" Miranda flinched slightly at this. "How can you be so sure Miranda."

"Because they already have. Andrea enhanced hearing has its benefits and a very long range. We are not very far from the crime scene."

"Oh. I guess we'll be reporting on the death of a poor woman tomorrow."

"Andrea listen to me, under no circumstances are you to tell anyone about this."

"Like anyone would believe me anyway."

"Andrea, promise me you will not tell anyone." Miranda sounded desperate.

She'd never heard Miranda sound desperate, not even in that Paris motel room when she talked about the twins losing another father figure. God the twins. "Miranda, I promise. You should get going, the twins will be worried."

"Preternatural speed Andrea, besides they're not home."

"Okay. We should take a look at those cuts and bruises." Andy said only now remembering the beating she'd heard Miranda take.

"They are fine Andrea. They will heal a lot faster than any you would receive."

"Are you going to rub the whole preternatural thing in my face? I'm trying to be nice again."

"There is no need Andrea."

"No need for what?"

"To rub it in but there is also no need to check my wounds, most of them are healing already."

"Would you humour me? You saved my life" Miranda went to interrupt her "no, hey, no interrupting 'the I'm grateful you saved my life' speech. You may not think you did but well if you hadn't jumped down in front of me, he would have killed me."

Miranda looked at her seriously, giving in to her feelings. When Andy wouldn't look at her she grabbed the girls chin. "I wouldn't have let him hurt you, I will never let anyone hurt you."

Andy had no choice but to look into impossibly blue, yes they were blue, eyes. Searching the eyes that she had dreamt about often she saw nothing but sincerity. "I believe you Miranda. Now will you let me check your bruises?"

"I am not sure what you hope to gain from the experience, I cannot go to a hospital nor can I die from internal injuries." She said while standing and unbuttoning her shirt. "Well this shirt is ruined" she grumbled as she caught sight of the dirt and slime covering it.

"I have one that would probably fit you so that you can wear it home. If you want that is."

Sliding the shirt from her shoulders Miranda stared Andy in the eyes "perhaps. We shall see."

As the dark purple bruises were revealed to her Andy gasped, rather loudly. "My God Miranda."

"I told you they will heal."

"Still, they're there because of me." Andy reached out to touch a brown and yellow bruise already beginning to heal on Miranda's hip but stopped herself.

"Andrea, look at me." Andy shook her head "Andrea, please look at me." Andy lifted her eyes. "These bruises are here because of you but there is no need to feel guilty about them. These bruises are here because I saved the life of the woman that means more to me than anything. You are here with me now because of these bruises." Miranda let her hand rest on Andy's cheek "I will be grateful to these bruises because it means that I have a second chance."

"Miranda" Andy breathed out in a whisper. "I have a confession of my own to make. I have felt things for you that an assistant should not feel for their ungrateful boss."

"Believe what you will about me Andrea, but do not believe that I was ungrateful."

"Right, because you always seemed grateful especially after Harry Potter." Andy laughed lightly.

"That was a punishment, for going into parts of my house that you should not have entered, for witnessing the end of my marriage. A loveless marriage, I'll admit."

"Huh." Andy said taking a step back and turning toward the window.

"I regret every moment. I was trying to come up with ways to keep you at bay. Remember the crumbling of carefully built walls." Miranda stepped up behind Andy and slipped her arms around the younger woman in front of her. "You are so very warm." Miranda whispered close to Andy's ear.

"I didn't notice it before but you are pretty cold. I guess that comes with being dead."

"You would guess right. Andrea please do not be angry. It was a measure to ensure self-preservation."

"I can't actually be angry about it considering that not a few days later I realised that scene in the townhouse was the opening I needed. Of course I never actually did take my opportunity."

"What are you talking about Andrea?"

"I have been trying to come up with ways to get back into your life for three years and I never thought that discovering that you were a vampire was going to do just that." Andy sighed. "I'm not explaining this very well. I have been in love with you for close to four years and I haven't been able to get those feelings out of my head or heart."

Miranda sighed and rested her chin on Andy's shoulder. "Then this is mutual. Are you afraid of being with a vampire Andrea?"

Andy shook her head enough to give her answer but not enough to dislodge Miranda's head. "No, I don't care about that. It may take me a while to get used to the coldness and the no heartbeat thing but I'm sure I'll get used to it."

"I dragoste tu, meu dragă (I love you, my dearest)"

"What did you just say?"

"I said 'I love you, my dearest'."

"And that would be in?" Andy turned in Miranda's arms.

"Romanian. I really only speak three languages now days, Romanian, English and French." Miranda leaned her forehead against Andy's leaving Andrea to close the rest of the distance.

"You're going to have to teach me some phrases so I know what you're saying when you speak in Romanian" Andy closed the distance between their lips until they were almost touching.

"I will do anything you ask Andrea. Please do not leave me again."

"I won’t and for the record, I love you too Miranda." Andy closed the remaining distance between their lips.

_ _

v-v

 The End

_ _

v-v

 

**Author's Note:**

> I do not speak Romanian, it may or may not be correct --- I used an online translator at the time of writing - 
> 
> Edited to include a very heartfelt thanks to ares89 for the correct translations!!!!!!!
> 
> Remember this came from my brain (shortly after the film came out, I have since become better in my writing - or think I have anyway)
> 
> No blowing up my comments section with hate... thanks.


End file.
